Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels and the panel thus obtained

ABSTRACT

This Application for a patent of invention refers to a Machine for the assembly or production of sandwich-type panels for use in the construction industry which would have no rusting problems and use support chair connectors with metal closures.  
     The Machine for the assembly of sandwich-type panels comprises: (a) a series of fixed metal frames: a frame in the upper part  1  and a lower frame on the floor  6  joined by columns  4 ; (b) an intermediate plane  3  which is between the upper frame  1  and the lower frame  6 , which slides down the columns  4 ; (c) two hydraulic jacks  5 , which raise and lower the frame  3  (d) some beams  2  which are joined to the frames  1  and  3  respectively; (e) the actuators  7 , supported on the beams  2.    
     The panels are formed by (a) one core  10  or cores of rigid or semi-rigid material; (b) a series of support-chair connectors  11  with mechanical closing all around the panel, which pass through perpendicular orifices in a core  10 ; (c) some bars  8  and  9 , strings or cords or metal or composite material; (d) some external separators  12  of metal or plastic or dry wood or mortar or plaster or composite material; and (e) some central separators  35  of metal or plastic or dry wood or mortar or plaster or composite materials.

TECHNICAL

[0001] This Application for Patent of Invention refers to a machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels for use in the construction industry; not having problems of rust and using support chair connectors with metal closures.

STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Insulated sandwich-type structural panels have been used for several years as described below:

[0003] In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,305,991, 3,555,131, 3,838,241 and 4,120,330 Weismann develops a process of formation of electrically soldered three-dimensional lattices, preparing a foam insulation core within the lattice.

[0004] Rockstead and Fahrenbach, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,330 work on the same principle but provide for the corrosive effects of concrete, Artzer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,067 creates an electrically soldered three-dimensional lattice and insulation in the form of straight rectangle parallelepipeds is introduced along the length of the lattice. Dickens and Nanny in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,555 fix an electrically welded mesh to an insulating core material, one face with screws joined to a separator which goes over the sheets stuck to the insulating filling material. Chun in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,288 develops, for in situ work, wire-and-cloth woven panels, projecting the insulation over the cloth on site, to throw the concrete over it afterwards. Deinzer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,019 makes the panel by crossing the insulation with inclined wires which are then soldered and cut into mesh electrically soldered on both sides. Stevenson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,013 makes inverted triangular frames, every other one electrically soldered, soldering perpendicular and parallel wires on both faces, to install the insulation subsequently.

[0005] In all of these patents, except that of Chun, wires are electrically soldered. In all of them, the connection between the faces is made by the electrically soldered wires of the frames or zig-zag wires, except that of Dickens and Nanny, which has no connections.

[0006] Another system to connect reinforcing panels of exterior surfaces which are the connectors or connectors to the section has been developed.

[0007] Long in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,733 designs plastic or composite connectors to form sandwich-type walls for the construction of one or two layers of concrete but the connectors are simple; and they do not interact directly with the reinforcement.

[0008] Connectors which do interact with the reinforcement in the form of bars passing through holes are those of Fricker in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,896, Haussler in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,757,482 and 3,996,713, and Garret in U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,211 in which the connector also interacts with the form.

[0009] A simple and elegant idea, with the disadvantage of passing a bar through a hole, is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,381 (Marks), where the concept of support chair is also applied for steel bars at each end of the connector. The same concept is applied by Kleinschmidt in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,375 B1 with plastic connectors which at each end carry a type of support chair which support electrically soldered wire mesh of the same diameter so that the mesh does not fall out it is clamped by crown caps under pressure.

[0010] There have been a very large number of devices developed to secure bars and mesh. U.S. Pat. No. 1,637,742 of 1927 by W S Edge and Russell C Olmsted, two Layers of intermeshed bars are secured and the connector acts at the crossing points. Menzel in U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,565 designed support chair

bar are forced to enter and are strongly secured using the elastic property of the material and also the concept of interchangeable support chair heads.

[0011] A practical and simple system of using metal support chair to secure bars so that they do not fall out or come loose, is to bend the wings. We find this concept in U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,310 (Middleton) and the design of J. M. Hornes in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,981. Another practical method is to bend the wings in pairs, one opposite the other as used by H S Johns in U.S. Pat. No. 1,882,499 of 1932. In these three patents, no mention is made of how the wings are to be bent, whether by hand (pliers) or with some special device.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The object of this Application for Patent of Invention is a Machine for the assembly of panels in which the wings of the support chair are bent in order to close them, and the whole panel is formed. Further, when the connectors are metal the process is only mechanical and for the case of thermally deformable plastic connectors, the process is mechanical with heat.

[0013] Another object of this invention related to the design of insulated sandwich-type structural panels for the construction of walls, ceilings and roofs in the construction of houses and buildings.

LIST OF FIGURES ATTACHED

[0014]FIG. 1. Perspective of the panel assembly machine.

[0015]FIG. 2. Front view of the panel assembly machine.

[0016]FIG. 3. Side view of the panel assembly machine.

[0017]FIG. 4. Top view of panel assembly machine.

[0018]FIG. 5. Transverse section of the actuator 7.

[0019]FIG. 6. Perspective and section of the actuator 7.

[0020]FIG. 7. Perspective of the body 22.

[0021]FIG. 8. Perspective and section of the body 23.

[0022]FIG. 9. Perspective and section of the body 17.

[0023]FIG. 10. Perspective and section of the body 18.

[0024]FIG. 11. Perspective and section of a single panel.

[0025]FIG. 12. Top view of a single panel along the A-A′ line of FIG. 16.

[0026]FIG. 13. Perspective of the connector 11.

[0027]FIG. 14. Perspective of the connector 11 bars 8 and 9.

[0028]FIG. 15. Transverse section of a single panel with connector 11 and bars 8 and 9.

[0029]FIG. 16. Transverse section along the B-B′ line of FIG. 12 with 4 actuators 7 in the panel assembly machine with a single panel in closed position.

[0030]FIG. 17. Transverse section of actuator 37 with heating.

[0031]FIG. 18. Perspective and section of actuator 37 with heating.

[0032]FIG. 19. Perspective and section of the body 38.

[0033]FIG. 20. Transverse section along the B-B′ line of FIG. 12 of four actuators 37 with heating in the panel assembly machine with a single panel in the closed position.

[0034]FIG. 21. Transverse section of double panel.

[0035]FIG. 22. Perspective and section of double panel.

[0036]FIG. 23. Perspective of central divider 35.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0037] This Application for a patent of invention refers to a Machine for the assembly or production of sandwich-type panels as appreciated in FIG. 1 which comprises (a) a series of fixed metal frames: a frame in the upper part 1 and a lower frame on the floor 6 joined by columns 4; (b) an intermediate plane 3 which is between the upper frame 1 and the lower frame 6, which slides down the columns 4; (c) two hydraulic jacks 5, which raise and lower the frame 3 (d) some beams 2 which are joined to the frames 1 and 3 respectively; (e) the actuators 7, supported on the beams 2.

[0038] In FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 there appear front side and top views of the panel assembly machine with its parts.

[0039] Each actuator 7, as seen in FIG. 5, is formed and assembled thus: a cylindrical body 22 with four grooves 31 towards to lower end (as seen in FIG. 7) of equal depth, moves along the sleeve 23 which contains the spring 24; also, in the lower part of the actuator 7 as such there are some grooves 27 (see FIG. 6) and the actuator 7 houses inside itself an expeller 13 with its spring 14 and internally the expeller 13 houses the piston 16 with its spring 15. The actuator 7 holds the sleeve 23 with two screws which pass through the orifices 28 (see FIG. 6) and the orifices 32 (see FIG. 8) of the sleeve 23. This set is screwed to the body 17 (see FIG. 19) and forms an independent and interchangeable unit. The body 17 encases with its square spigot 18 (see FIG. 10) which is held by the system of screw 19, spring 21, sphere 20, which protrude from the orifice 30.

[0040] The sandwich-type panel, as can be appreciated in FIGS. 11, 12 and 22 is formed by (a) a core 10 or cores of rigid or semi-rigid material which may be polystyrene, polyurethane, pressed wood, foam mortar etc., which must support the forces induced during projection and pouring of the cementing materials; also, it must act as a separator or insulator; (b) a series of support-chair connectors 11 with mechanical closing all around the panel, which pass through perpendicular orifices in a core 10; (c) some bars 8 and 9, strings or cords or metal or composite material; (d) some external separators 12; and (e) some central separators 35. The panel is coated or filled with cementing materials.

[0041] The cementing materials are placed on the faces or inside them if the panel has two cores such that the cementing material of the external faces shotcrete and that of the internal faces is applied by pouring.

[0042] The cementing materials may be concrete, mortar, light mortar, foam mortar, high-resistance plaster, concrete reinforced with fiberglass resistant to alkalis; the last of these is of great use today now that Portland cement with fiberglass and mixed with acrylic polymers sets in a few hours and makes the use of sandwich-type panels, product of this invention, much more practical and versatile.

[0043] The transverse and longitudinal bars, cords or cables are placed individually on the heads of the connector support chairs 11. The market offers rustproof metal bars and cables with metal and non-metal coatings. Once the bars or cables are cut to the required length the exposed ends are sealed with a material that covers the surface. Composite cords or cables by their nature have no rusting problems.

[0044] The external separators 12 and the central separators 35 may be metal, plastic, dry wood, mortar, plaster or a composite.

[0045] The external separators 12 are independent or integrated with the core 10 of the panel.

[0046] The sandwich-type panels function especially in corrosive environments with no need for the cementing coatings or pourings to have chemicals to avoid corrosion, and they are electromagnetically transparent.

[0047] The connector 11 has some grooves 25 at the ends, as shown in FIG. 14 which serve to encase the bars 8 and 9, cords or cables of metal or composite material; through a closing device the wings 26 between the grooves 25 close to clamp the bars 8 and 9 (See FIGS. 14 and 15).

[0048] The connectors 11 may be rust-free metal such as galvanized steel or stainless steel; or plastic, which is rust-free. Also the connectors 11 have a length which depends on the thickness of the panels.

[0049] Composite materials is understood to be materials which are made from two materials. One material (matrix or adhesive) is wrapped round the other (fibers, threads, pleats or high-resistance fragments—the reinforcement). The fiberglass developed in the 1940s was the first modern compositer and today 65% of all composite use fiberglass. High-resistance composite are those which are produced with carbon fiber and special fibers such as Kevlar®, Nomex®, Teflon®, which are widely found in the market.

[0050] The manufacturing process for the panels is extremely simple, economical and rapid, and consists of putting the panel together in the machine described between the upper frame 1 and the intermediate frame 3 and on the beams 2, the actuators 7 of the individual closing device are distributed.

[0051] Single panels can be obtained with metal or heat-deformable connectors; and double panels with metal or heat-deformable connectors.

[0052] Panels are coated or filled with plastic or elastoplastic cementing materials or cementations materials

[0053] The single panels have actuators 7 with metal connectors 11 as observed in FIG. 5, their assembly commences when the two jacks 5 are down.

[0054] a) The body 22 of the actuators 7 receives the bars 8 and 9 in the grooves 31 which guide them so that they cross over and are deployed in the actuators 7, then the connector 11 is placed where the bars cross making them encase the grooves 25 of the connectors 11, the interior cylinder of the actuators 7 makes the position of the connectors vertical, then the external separator 12 is placed with its flat face upwards, then the core 10 of the panel, afterwards the external separator 12 with its flat face downwards, then the interior bar 9 and finally the exterior bar 8;

[0055] b) Once assembled, the hydraulic jacks 5 are actuated to present the entire set to the upper plane and so that all the metal connectors 11 encase the actuators 7 of the upper plane.

[0056] c) When force is increased in the hydraulic jacks 5 the process of closure of the wings 26 by the metal connectors 11 begins, the wings 26 bend when they slide down the cone 29 (see FIG. 6) of the actuator 7; the actuator 7 exerts forces to adjust and bend the bars 8 and 9 and the metal connectors 11 as can be seen in FIG. 7; the first force is transmitted by the pressure of the body 16 through the action of the spring 15 (see FIG. 5) and another force which is the component of the bending force induces when the wings 26 bend over the exterior bar 9 in each actuator 7 (See FIGS. 14 and 15); the bar 9 is separated from the bottom of the groove 25 at a distance equal to the diameter of the interior bar 8.

[0057] For all effects the word “bar” extends to “bars, cables or cords of metal or composite material”.

[0058] The single panels have actuators 37 with heat-deformable connectors 11 which can be seen in FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 where the transmission of heat is obtained through resistances 39 which are located in the holes 45 to the wings 26 of the heat-deformable connectors 11 in the process of closing and at the instant at which the planes separate, air is injected by the supply 46 in the body 38 which on passing out through the orifice 47 of the piston 43 solidifies the wings 26; and it is coated with four insulators 40, 41, 42 and 44.

[0059]FIGS. 16 and 20 are the transverse section along the line B-B′ of FIG. 12 of the four actuators 7 without heating and with four actuators with heating in the panel assembly machine for a single in closing position.

[0060] The double panels (see FIGS. 21 and 22) have an additional core 10 with metal connectors 33 and are assembled as follows: the body 22 of the actuators 7 receives the bars 8 and 9 in the slots 31 which guides them so that they cross over and are deployed in the actuator 7, then the metal connectors 33 are placed where the bars cross over to make them encase the grooves 25 of the metal connectors 33, the interior cylinder of the actuator 7 makes the position of the connectors vertical, then the external separator 12 is placed with its flat face up, then the core 10 of the panel, then the central separator 35, then the additional core 10 is placed, then a second external separator 12 with its flat face down, the interior bar 9 and finally the exterior bar 8.

[0061] The central separator 35 (see FIG. 23) has four apertures 36 so that the cementing material can pass through and set in the adherence corrugations 34 of the connector 33.

[0062] In the double panels with heat-deformable connectors 33 the transmission of heat is obtained through resistances 39 which are located in the holes 45 to the wings 26 of the heat-deformable connectors 11 in the process of closing and at the instant at which the planes separate, air is injected by the supply 46 in the body 38 which on passing out through the orifice 47 of the piston 43 solidifies the wings 26; and it is coated with four insulators 40, 41, 42 and 44.

[0063] The operating steps for the metal connectors for the single core panel are as follows:

[0064] a) Install bars, cords or cables 8 and 9

[0065] b) Install connector 11

[0066] c) Install external separator 12

[0067] d) Install core 10

[0068] e) Install second external separator 12

[0069] f) Install reinforcement, and

[0070] g) Close

[0071] The operating steps for metal connectors in double-core panels are as follows:

[0072] a) Install bars, cords or cables 8 and 9

[0073] b) Install connector 33

[0074] c) Install external separator 12

[0075] d) Install core 10

[0076] e) Install central separator 35

[0077] f) Install core 10

[0078] g) Install second external separator 12

[0079] h) Install reinforcements, and

[0080] i) Close

[0081] The operating steps for plastic connectors vary in the closing process. “Closing” is the trajectory to be completed by the actuator to ensure that the wings of the connector join. If the connector is metal the process is simply mechanical, If the connector is plastic the bending body is heated to a set temperature and when it completes its trajectory for the closing cold air is introduced under pressure in order to harden the plastic.

[0082] The panels may be made in any thickness, material or quality, depending on the structural design for each type of application. The same holds for the thickness of the bars, cables or cords used, and the length and diameter of the connectors and the diameter and height of the external and central separators.

LIST OF REFERENCES USED

[0083]1 Upper frame

[0084]2 Beams

[0085]3 Intermediate plane

[0086]4 Columns

[0087]5 Hydraulic jacks

[0088]6 Lower frame

[0089]7 Actuators

[0090]8 Bars

[0091]9 Bars

[0092]10 Panel core

[0093]11 Connectors for single panel

[0094]12 External separators

[0095]13 Expeller

[0096]14 Spring for expeller 13

[0097]15 Spring for piston 16

[0098]16 Piston

[0099]17 Body

[0100]18 Body

[0101]19 Screw of body 18

[0102]20 Sphere of body 17

[0103]21 Spring of body 17

[0104]22 Body

[0105]23 Sleeve

[0106]24 Spring of sleeve 23

[0107]25 Connector grooves

[0108]26 Connector wings

[0109]27 Grooves in actuators 7

[0110]28 Orifice of sleeve 23

[0111]29 Cone of actuator 7

[0112]30 Orifice of body 17

[0113]31 Grooves of body 22

[0114]32 Orifice of sleeve 23

[0115]33 Connectors for double panel

[0116]34 Corrugations

[0117]35 Central separator

[0118]36 Apertures in central separator

[0119]37 Actuators

[0120]38 Body

[0121]39 Resistance

[0122]40 Insulation

[0123]41 Insulation

[0124]42 Insulation

[0125]43 Piston

[0126]44 Insulation

[0127]45 Holes in actuators 37

[0128]46 Air supply

[0129]47 Orifice of piston 43 

1. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels characterized because it is comprised of (a) a series of fixed metal frames: a frame in the upper part 1 and a lower frame on the floor 6 joined by columns 4; (b) an intermediate plane 3 which is between the upper frame 1 and the lower frame 6, which slides down the columns 4; (c) two hydraulic jacks 5, which raise and lower the frame 3 (d) some beams 2 which are joined to the frames 1 and 3 respectively; (e) the actuators 7, supported on the beams
 2. 2. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of Claim 1 characterized because the actuators 7 are composed and assembled as follows: a cylindrical body 22 with four grooves 31 towards to lower end of equal depth, moves along the sleeve 23 which contains the spring 24; also, in the lower part of the actuator 7 as such there are some grooves 27 and the actuator 7 houses inside itself an expeller 13 with its spring 14 and internally the expeller 13 houses the piston 16 with its spring
 15. The actuator 7 holds the sleeve 23 with two screws which pass through the orifices 28 and the orifices 32 of the sleeve
 23. This set is screwed to the body 17 and forms an independent and interchangeable unit. The body 17 encases with its square spigot 18 which is held by the system

19, spring 21, sphere 20, which protrude from


3. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 1, characterized because the panels are formed by (a) a core 10 or cores of rigid or semi-rigid material which may be polystyrene, polyurethane, pressed wood, foam mortar etc., which must support the forces induced during shotcrete and pouring of the cementing materials; also, it must act as a separator or insulator; (b) a series of support-chair connectors 11 with mechanical closing all around the panel, which pass through perpendicular orifices in a core 10; (c) some bars 8 and 9, strings or cords or metal or composite material; (d) some external separators 12; and (e) some central separators 35 of metal or plastic, or dry wood or mortar or plaster or composite material.
 4. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 3 characterized because the separators 12 are independent of or integrated into the panel core
 10. 5. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 3 characterized because single panels are obtained with metal or heat-deformable connectors; or double panels are obtained with metal or heat-deformable connectors; the panels are coated or filled with plastic or elastoplastic cementing materials or cementations materials.
 6. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of Claim 3 characterized because the connectors 11 is rust-free metal such as galvanized steel or stainless steel; or plastic, which is also rust-free; and the length which depends on the thickness of the panels.
 7. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 6 characterized because the connector 11 has some grooves 25 at the ends of equal depth, which encase the bars 8 and 9, cords or cables of metal or composite material: through a closing device the wings 26 between the grooves 25 close to clamp the bars 8 and
 9. 8. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 5 characterized because The single panels have actuators 7 with metal connectors 11, their assembly being as follows: a) The body 22 of the actuators 7 receives the bars 8 and 9 in the grooves 31 which guide them so that they cross over and are deployed in the actuators 7, then the connector 11 is placed where the bars cross making them encase the grooves 25 of the connectors 11, the interior cylinder of the actuators 7 makes the position of the connectors vertical, then the external separator 12 is placed with its flat face upwards, then the core 10 of the panel, afterwards the external separator 12 with its flat face downwards, then the interior bar 9 and finally the exterior bar 8; b) Once assembled, the hydraulic jacks 5 are actuated to present the entire set to the upper plane and so that all the metal connectors 11 encase the actuators 7 of the upper plane. c) When force is increased in the hydraulic jacks 5 the process of closure of the wings 26 by the metal connectors 11 begins, the wings 26 bend when they slide down the cone 29 of the actuator 7; the actuator 7 exerts forces to adjust and bend the bars 8 and 9 and the metal connectors 11; the first force is transmitted by the pressure of the body 16 through the action of the spring 15, and another force which is the component of the bending force induces when the wings 26 bend over the exterior bar 9 in each actuator 7; the bar 9 is separated from the bottom of the groove 25 at a distance equal to the diameter of the interior bar
 8. 9. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 5 characterized because the single panels have actuators 37 with heat-deformable connectors 11 where the transmission of heat is obtained through resistances 39 which are located in the holes 45 to the wings 26 of the heat-deformable connectors 11 in the process of closing and at the instant at which the planes separate, air is injected by the supply 46 in the body 38 which on passing out through the orifice 47 of the piston 43 solidifies the wings 26; and it is coated with four insulators 40, 41, 42 and
 44. 10. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 5 characterized because the double panels have an additional core 10 with metal connectors 33 and are assembled as follows: the body 22 of the actuators 7 receives the bars 8 and 9 in the slots 31 which guides them so that they cross over and are deployed in the actuator 7, then the metal connectors 33 are placed where the bars cross over to make them encase the grooves 25 of the metal connectors 33, the interior cylinder of the actuator 7 makes the position of the connectors vertical, then the external separator 12 is placed with its flat face up, then the core 10 of the panel, then the central separator 35, then the additional core 10 is placed, then a second external separator 12 with its flat face down, the interior bar 9 and finally the exterior bar
 8. 11. A Machine to assemble or produce sandwich-type panels of claim 5 characterized because the double panel consists of an additional core 10 and in order to maintain the distance between cores 10 the central separator 35 is placed in the heat-deformable connectors 33; the central separator 35 has four apertures 36 so that the cementing material can pass through and set in the adherence corrugations 34 of the connector 33 and the transmission of heat is obtained through resistances 39 which are located in the holes 45 to the wings 26 of the heat-deformable connectors 33 in the process of closing and at the instant at which the planes separate, air is injected by the supply 46 in the body 38 which on passing out through the orifice 47 of the piston 43 solidifies the wings 26; and it is coated with four insulators 40, 41, 42 and
 44. 